Summer Camp for Kids - Namaste Yoga Camp 2019

It's finally here! It's time to register for Namaste Yoga Camp! This is my third year doing Namaste Yoga Camp for kids, and I'm so excited I can now open up registration.

You can search this blog for more details, or click HERE to access the registration form. Feel free to email me if you have specific questions: livnamasteyoga@gmail.com

Camp will start June 10 and run through August 7, and will be held in The Dancing Room, a private studio in Murray. The address will be sent via email with a welcome letter when you register; if you need to consider location before your commit, I can give you more information upon request.

Class size will be a little more limited than last year, and spaces will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. I'm so looking forward to another summer filled with yoga! Once you've signed up, please share with your friends who you think may be interested; I offer a one-time 10% discount as a thank you if someone you refer signs up. There's a place on the registration form for people to list you, and I'll apply the discount to your next upcoming session.

As always, feel free to contact me with any questions you have.

Namaste Yoga Camp for Kids REGISTRATION

Summer 2019 Yoga Camp for Kids - Liv Namaste Yoga Camp

Can you believe the time has come to start planning summer camp for kids?! I am so excited to be diving in to all my resources in order to outline Namaste Yoga Camp for summer 2019! I love doing this yoga based summer camp for kids because kids benefit SO MUCH from the techniques in yoga. Additionally, I love to get creative and combine an art project with the yoga. The two complement each other so perfectly, giving kids the tools they need to succeed in life.

I don't have all the nitty gritty details of Namaste Yoga Camp 2019 completely hashed out, but I do have an outline for the themes we'll have this summer! Check them out:

• Shapes Theme
• Space Theme
• Summer Theme
• Ocean Theme
• Harry Potter Inspired Theme
• Halloween Theme
• Heroes Theme
• Animals Theme

Some of the art projects may include stamping with found objects, making hero shields and hopefully creating our own Remembralls from Harry Potter.

Camp is for kids ages 4+, and the class size may be limited to 8 children, depending on my studio space. We won't be able to enjoy camp at the Murray Park Center this year, but I'll keep you posted when we have a venue!

2018 Summer YOGA Camp for Kids - Murray and Sandy

Kids' Yoga Camp is an opportunity for your young yogis to experience yoga, breath work, and art, and to see how they all work together. There is an emphasis on yoga not only as exercise, but as a way of developing self-confidence. Yoga will be experienced in a playful setting, incorporating animal/plant inspiration for poses, as well as doing poses with a partner. The breathing exercises will encourage personal awareness (how do we feel when we breathe in a certain way?), and will give children power over their own emotions.

Art will be used to give children an opportunity to incorporate some of the yoga skills they're learning, and to express themselves in a positive way. Art projects may include: making "calm down jars", making lavender-scented eye pillows, painting with the breath, making stress balls, creating mandalas, making dream catchers, "Warrior" puppets, and other projects that will reflect the focus for the yoga practice.

Mondays and Fridays, 1:30p-3p at The Park Center in Murray (no membership required)

$10 one-time registration fee

$10 per day, or $15 for both Monday and Friday (more discounts available; see registration)

10 kid limit per class, ages 4+
REGISTER HERE for MURRAY

(REGISTRATION CLOSED) Week of June 11: Superhero Theme
(REGISTRATION CLOSED) Week of June 18: Harry Potter Inspired Theme
(REGISTRATION CLOSED) Week of July 9: Land Animals Theme
(REGISTRATION CLOSED) Week of July 16: Air/Wind Theme
(REGISTRATION CLOSED) Week of July 23: Summer Theme
(REGISTRATION CLOSED) Week of July 30: Ocean Theme

Wednesdays and Thursdays 1:30p-3p at Yin Health & Wellness in Sandy

$25 drop-in (single class)

$80 4-class pass
$145 8-class pass

Ages 3+ (children MUST be toilet-trained to attend)

(REGISTRATION CLOSED) Week of June 11: Superhero Theme
(REGISTRATION CLOSED) Week of June 18: Harry Potter Inspired Theme
(REGISTRATION CLOSED) Week of June 25: Space Theme*
(REGISTRATION CLOSED) Week of July 2: Shapes Theme
(REGISTRATION CLOSED) Week of July 9: Land Animals Theme
(REGISTRATION CLOSED) Week of July 16: Air/Wind Theme
(REGISTRATION CLOSED) Week of July 23: Summer Theme
(REGISTRATION CLOSED) Week of July 30: Ocean Theme

You can access the registration form HERE. Please print, fill out, and return either to me or Yin Health and Wellness. To sign up online, use the Yin website and register via the schedule HERE. You can manually enter in the dates that work for you and see what's available for camp on Wednesdays and Thursdays, beginning June 13.

*There will be a sub for one week at Yin, as I'll be out of town. Murray camp dates also reflect my absence.

A Glimpse into Salt Lake City Yoga Camp

I'm halfway through the summer when it comes to my yoga camps! It's been exciting, exhausting, and extremely rewarding to host these classes for your little yogis. It stretches my skills to learn more about yoga for kids, and how to adapt what I'm used to (which is teaching traditional yoga classes to adults) for a younger set of students.

I have a lot of fun coming up with games and poses to go along with the themes I've chosen for each week. And as a reminder, there are two camp days per theme, and each day has varying curriculum and a different art project. I want you to get the most for your money, and make the classes unique and engaging for the little yogis!

Since my last update, we've had Wizard-themed camp, and animal-themed camp. Our art projects have included dragon eggs and mala bead pipe cleaner animals. My 4-year-old says he likes the art projects the best, but I usually end up doing most of the work for him ;)

Some of my other campers have shared that their favorite part is being able to play and relax in yoga camp. One mother let me know that during an anxiety episode for her camper (while at home) she had him practice one of our breathing exercises and it helped him regain control of his emotions and feel better. THAT is a major reason why I do this! Kids need these skills, which I do my best to teach them through play.


For the upcoming week, we'll focus on AIR. It's an important element, and breathwork is vital not only to yoga, but to just living life, right?! I'll be helping the kids make air-powered rockets, and we'll read the beautiful book "My Magic Breath". We'll also do some pom-pom play, and paint with our breath so the kids can actually see how important breathing is. It's so powerful, and I hope to teach them that through various methods. Many of our poses will also fall into the "air" category of yoga... meaning they're poses meant to balance the air element in our bodies. It'll be subtle for the kiddos, of course, but it's something we studied in depth in my yoga teacher training.

This camp has been a huge success this year, because kids are having fun and learning life skills in the process. I'm currently in discussion with the Murray Rec Center to bring a preschool yoga class to their schedule throughout the next school year. I'd also like to see a class for school-aged kids perhaps once a month, so I'll keep you updated on that opportunity.



I do still have some openings for camp this summer, so check out Murray registration HERE. For Sandy camp, head to the Yin website and register using the MindBody calendar (scroll down a little bit on that web page to see the calendar).

Kids' Yoga Camp

Can you believe it's already time to start planning summer yoga camp?! I'm so excited to be working with a couple of locations to host camp again this year for your young yogis, ages 4+.

Take a peek at some photos from last year's camp, and consider signing your little ones up for camp with me this year! I may have locations in both Murray and Sandy for summer 2018, so hopefully one will work for you!

Painting with the breath

Gratitude rocks

Yoga camp will offer kids a chance to learn more about yoga as exercise, how to calm themselves with art and breathing techniques, and can also help them develop body/self-confidence, strength, and flexibility. I look forward to having your kids learn and grow with me! I'll let you know when and where registration is available.

Harry Potter Inspired Yoga 2017

Harry Potter inspired yoga has come and gone, but maybe you can catch the train at Platform 9 and 3/4 next year!

This practice was designed for ages 7 and up, and use of wands was encouraged! I drew inspiration from the books, movies and screenplays, and created sequences with a playful approach. I tried to make it fun and challenging for both children and adults. We did a Moon Salutation to warm up (inspired by Luna Lovegood), some transfiguration magic to do animal poses, and we both dueled and flew like wizards.

The turnout was extremely modest, but I'm grateful for those who came! We had a little fun with a homemade photobooth prop after our practice, which was inspired by Sirius Black's infamous escape from Azkaban.

Besides the wizards and muggles in attendance, we also had a guest owl. She was very well-behaved during the practice and didn't try to deliver any mail while we were on our mats, using our wands.

I hope to see you next year!

Harry Potter Inspired Yoga for Families

This October, I'll be offering Harry Potter inspired yoga for families in Salt Lake City! I'm excited to bring the magic of the books and the magic of yoga together for a fun event.

Open to children ages 7+, as well as adults, the class will incorporate readings from the books, poses with wizard-inspired names, and wands for all! It will be for all skill-levels, and will be the perfect activity to usher in the Halloween season.

Pricing is not yet set, but expect around $15/person, with discounts for parent+child admission, couples (adult+adult) admission, and for families/groups of 3+ admission. Class will be one hour long, and wands will be included in the cost of admission.

More details will be forthcoming for this class, which will most-likely be held on a Friday evening in October.

To keep track of interest, please fill out the following Google form HERE.

Kids' Yoga Summer Camp

I'm so happy I can offer kids' yoga camp summer 2017! Registration is now open, and I'm only accepting 10 kids per class, ages 4+. I won't be able to host a class unless there are at least 5 participates, so recruit friends! Here's a run down of how it'll work:

There are four sessions in June, and signing up for all three classes in a session gives a discount compared to signing up for an individual class. Classes will be hosted at localYOGA at 6357 S Redwood Road in Taylorsville, UT.

This yoga camp will offer kids a chance to learn more about yoga as exercise, how to calm themselves with art and breathing techniques, and can also help them develop body/self-confidence, strength, and flexibility. I look forward to having your kids learn and grow with me!

10% discount on total cost for siblings who attend together, and you can earn a 10% discount if you refer another camper! If someone you refer signs up, there's a place on the registration form for them to put YOUR name, which will let me know to deduct 10% from your enrollment cost.

Session 1 June 6-8 1:30-3p (REGISTRATION CLOSED)

Session 2 June 13-15 1:30-3p (REGISTRATION CLOSED)

Session 3 June 20-22 1:30-3p (REGISTRATION CLOSED )

Session 4 June 27-29 1:30-3p (REGISTRATION CLOSED)

Session 5 July 5 AND 6 1:30-3p (REGISTRATION CLOSED)

Session 6 July 11-13 1:30-3p (REGISTRATION CLOSED)

$54/child for all three classes
$20/child for one class
-Each 1.5 hour class will include yoga education, yoga practice, yoga games, and an art project related to yoga. Approximately 40 minutes of active yoga practice, 30 minutes for the art, and 20 minutes for education.

I'm 200 hour certified in yoga instruction, as well as CPR and First Aid certified. I've worked in day care since 2013, plus have had prior years of experience in childcare. Please email livnamasteyoga at gmail dot com if you have any questions. Registration can be found by clicking HERE.

Self-Practice Journal, Week 15

For one of my RYT classes this semester, I'm required to keep a weekly self-practice journal. This is for yoga practices I do on my own, not guided in a studio, gym, or via video. Each week I'll have a post that details at least three of my self-practices.

Week 15
Practice 1
Date: April 21, 7:30-8:00p
Intention: Non-stealing (use props)
Content: Tadasana, swan dives, chair with bow and arrow (5x), Surya Namaskar (3x)
Downward dog, lunge over right, Virabhadrasana II, Trikonasana, Wide-Legged Forward Fold, Fold at the top of the mat, Tadasana, Standing Pigeon/Figure-four Standing balance, Malasana, Navasana, Roll to fold at the top of the mat, Tadasana (repeat opposite side).
Tree pose (both sides)
Forward fold, Downward Dog, lower to Pigeon, Lizard
Supine spinal rolls, supine hand-to-big-toe pose, Supta Baddha Konasana, Figure-four/supine pigeon legs for spinal twist, happy baby.

Savasana

Reflection: Lots of release in the hips from this practice. Also fun to use props in poses when I usually neglect to (like Trikonasana, Malasana, Navasana). My alignment improves when I don't force a pose simply because I'm flexible.

Practice 2
Date: April 24, 3-4p
Intention: Arm Balance
Content: Seated warm up, neck rolls, shoulder rolls, wrist rolls, hip rolls, seated forward fold, cat/cow/child's post, cat/cow/downward facing dog. Plank, curl left knee under torso to left, then middle, the right. Plank, curl right knee under torso to right, then middle, then left.
Surya Namaska A (3x)
Goddess, Warrior II, Plank, Chaturanga, Updog, Downdog (repeat on other side)
Malasana on block
Navasana with variations (twists, leg extensions)
Baddha Konasana
Firelog
Half-lotus legs for Tolasana, with blocks under hands
Janu Shirsasana (both sides)
Gomukhasana (both sides), Lizard, prone arm stretch, Supta Baddha Konasana (on pillows), Ananda Balasana, Supine pigeon.
Savasana
Reflection: The studio where I'm teaching sets a monthly area of focus. April was arm balances and inversions. This gives me an opportunity to be extremely thoughtful with my lesson planning, and this is what I came up with for a class this month. I like the accessibility of Tolasana when done with different leg positions, and with blocks for elevation. Usually when I think of arm balances I think of inversions as well, so doing a little study before preparing this lesson brought me to Tolasana, a pose I don't usually incorporate in my practice. It was a great reminder of what else is out there.

Practice 3
Date: April 25, 7:30-8:30p
Intention: Arm Balance
Content: Seated warm up, neck rolls, shoulder rolls, wrist rolls, hip rolls, seated forward fold, cat/cow/child's post, cat/cow/downward facing dog. Plank, curl left knee under torso to left, then middle, the right. Plank, curl right knee under torso to right, then middle, then left.
Surya Namaska A (3x)
Goddess, Warrior II, Plank, Chaturanga, Updog, Downdog (repeat on other side)
Malasana on block
Navasana with variations (twists, leg extensions)
Baddha Konasana
Firelog
Half-lotus legs for Tolasana, with blocks under hands
Janu Shirsasana (both sides)
Gomukhasana (both sides), Lizard, prone arm stretch, Supta Baddha Konasana (on pillows), Ananda Balasana, Supine pigeon.
Savasana
Reflection: This time I was able to enjoy this practice without using it as prep for teaching. I enjoyed the overall theme of balancing (did tip toes in Goddess, balanced in Navasana, etc...) that led up to the arm balance.

Self-Practice Journal, Week 14

For one of my RYT classes this semester, I'm required to keep a weekly self-practice journal. This is for yoga practices I do on my own, not guided in a studio, gym, or via video. Each week I'll have a post that details at least three of my self-practices.

Week 14
Practice 1
Date: Saturday, April 15 7:30-815p
Intention: Brahmana practice
Content: Forearm plank to Dolphin, transition to hands and knees, then prone.
Baby Bhujangasana to Sphinx
Downward Dog
Virabhadrasana I and II, transition to hands and knees, then kneeling.
Virasana (on block), then recline (Supta Virasana)
Bridge
Matsyasana on block
Legs-up-the-wall (without block first, then add block)
Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby)
Reflection: I LOVE doing Matsyasana on a block or bolster. It's still challenging, but it lends enough support that I can work on puffing my chest (I have a tendency to forget about that element of back bends). This was a good practice to do to cement the concepts we discussed in class; back bends are warming and need good prep. And after the discussion we had about not immediately countering a pose, I'm more aware of how I sequence things and the effects the poses could have if done from one extreme to the next. This sequence definitely felt like it was building up to something and then giving my back a chance to relax/neutralize (legs-up-the-wall) before going into something considered a counter to the back bend. I felt less discomfort in my back after prepping it more thoroughly, using a prop, and neutralizing.

Practice 2
Date: Tuesday, April 25, 8:30-9:30p
Intention: Yoga for menstruation
Content: (taken from Yoga Sequencing by Mark Stephens)
Supta Baddha Konasana (blocks under thighs), knees to chest, Ananda Balasana
Supta Padangusthasana, each leg (with a strap)
Supta Virasana (with block, partial recline)
Cat-Cow, with alternate-leg-extensions
Downward Dog to Balasana (5x)
Bridge Pose (with a block)
Supine spinal twists
Gomukhasana
Wide-Legged Forward Fold
Seated Forward Fold (with pillows on the thighs to support the upper body)
Legs-up-the-wall (without block)
Savasana
Reflection: This definitely worked through some of the discomfort I was experiencing in my lower back earlier in the day. Having a bolster would be nice for a sequence like this since I wanted the poses to be more restorative. I can make due with about three pillows, but it's not the same. After doing a back-bending seqeunce last month in an attempt to help with cramps, I see how doing more to compress the front of the belly is beneficial.

Practice 3
Date: Wednesday, April 26 7:30-8p
Intention: Samana practice
Content: Seated lateral stretches, easy seated twists, Cat-cow with variations (extending arms and legs for balance), low lunge (each side), downward dog, forward fold.
Tadasana
Utkatasana
Lunge over right, then revolve
Parivrtta Trikonasana (over right)
Trikonasana (over right)
Lunge over right, then forward to fold
Tadasana
Utkatasana
Lunge over left, then revolve
Parivrtta Trikonasana (over left)
Trikonasana (over left)
Lunge over left, then forward to fold
Malasana (transition to sit)
Marichyasana I (left leg extended 1st), then bind the twist
Marichyasana I (right leg extended 2nd), then bind the twist
Dandasana
Seated forward fold
Legs-up-the-wall
Knees to chest, supine spinal twists, ananda balasana, windshield wipers with bent knees (more gentle spinal twist)
Savasana
Reflection: I'm a Pitta, so I love twists. And now that I know more about the energetics of poses, it's fun to experiment with them. This felt especially good as I work through my cycle; today the back pain wasn't present, so I felt ready to twist. This was a nice sequence for paying attention to either side of my body, and acknowledging the changes after doing the sequence on one side.

Yoga for Busy Moms on PS i adore you

Today I'm thrilled to share that I've teamed up with the incredible site PS i adore you to sell my online yoga course at a 50% discount.

If you're not family with PS, I'll give you a brief run-down: they're a flash-sale site that donates a portion of their proceeds to children with cancer. They have fun, practical, cute, amazing products that change out weekly, and it's for such a good cause.

Photo via PS i Adore You website

For the next week on PS, you can purchase Yoga for Busy Moms for 50% off retail, and the coupon code you receive can be redeemed at any time on Udemy (the site that hosts the yoga course). This is a great deal that I'm so happy to be able to offer to you! If you're not interested in yoga for yourself, or if you've already purchased it, you can buy the course as a gift for someone. Think of the women you'll be celebrating on Mother's Day this year... *wink wink*

Head over to PS and check out this amazing deal! You just have a week to save some $$$. See the deal by clicking right HERE.

Self-Practice Journal, Week 13

For one of my RYT classes this semester, I'm required to keep a weekly self-practice journal. This is for yoga practices I do on my own, not guided in a studio, gym, or via video. Each week I'll have a post that details at least three of my self-practices.

Week 13
Practice 1
Date: Monday, April 10 7:30-8:45p
Intention: Practice for teaching practicum class Tuesday night
Content: Seated warm up- lateral stretches, hip circles, neck rolls, cat/cow with child's pose variation, downward facing dog, half sun salutes, chair with bow and arrow, wrist rolls, sunflower.
Chandra Namaskar
Goddess pose
Star pose
Virabhadrasana II
Utthita Parsvakonasana
Crescent lunge
Wide-Legged Forward fold (supported with blocks under hands/head, and twist after surrendering for a few breaths)
Malasana (use a block under the sits bones first time through)
Bakasana
Wide-Legged Forward Fold (supported with blocks under hands/head, and twist after surrendering for a few breaths)
Crescent lunge
Utthita Parsvakonasana
Virabhadrasana II
Star pose
Goddess pose
Garudasana
(Repeat twice, with progression. Second time through, add Ardha Chandrasana after lunges on each side).
Static side lunges
Sage Twist
Ardha Virasana
Lizard
Prone shoulder stretch (but share variation: seated shoulder opener for pregnant classmate)
Marichyasana I (with strap for the class, without strap personally)
Legs-up-the wall (with or w/o block)
Ananda Balasana
Savasana
Reflection: I originally planned this sequence with Pyramid to follow side angle, but I didn't like having to adjust my feet to go into lunge afterward. I wanted lunge to prep for Ardha Chandrasana, so I pulled out Pyramid pose. I liked that flow so much more and felt my alignment wasn't compromised when I played around with that change. Also, even though I won't have time to teach Bakasana or Garudasana in my 50-minute practicum, I included it in this practice for myself.

Practice 2
Date: Wednesday, April 12 8-9p
Intention: Enjoy the moon sequence without worrying about tweaking it for teaching. Be present.
Content: Seated warm up- lateral stretches, hip circles, neck rolls, cat/cow with child's pose variation, downward facing dog, half sun salutes, chair with bow and arrow, wrist rolls, sunflower.
Chandra Namaskar
Goddess pose
Star pose
Virabhadrasana II
Utthita Parsvakonasana
Crescent lunge
Wide-Legged Forward fold (supported with blocks under hands/head, and twist after surrendering for a few breaths)
Malasana (use a block under the sits bones first time through)
Bakasana
Wide-Legged Forward Fold (supported with blocks under hands/head, and twist after surrendering for a few breaths)
Crescent lunge
Utthita Parsvakonasana
Virabhadrasana II
Star pose
Goddess pose
Garudasana
(Repeat twice, with progression. Second time through, add Ardha Chandrasana after lunges on each side).
Static side lunges
Sage Twist
Ardha Virasana
Lizard
Prone shoulder stretch (but share variation: seated shoulder opener for pregnant classmate)
Marichyasana I (with strap for the class, without strap personally)
Legs-up-the wall (with or w/o block)
Ananda Balasana
SavasanaReflection: Doing this sequence again, but without stopping to make notes, was so much more relaxing. I was able to move through the poses without thinking of my breath or cues. I was able to listen to the music that I had specifically picked for the flow and to notice how it connected with my poses (for example, while in crow the lyrics of an Iron and Wine song were "flightless bird." I could appreciate that when in the moment). It was also fantastic to have a longer savasana.

Practice 3
Date: Thursday, April 13 11:55a-12:25p (I took advantage of today's late start and did a flow!)
Intention: Regroup after rushing all morning to get errands done and son to sitter before class.
Content: Warm up- sunflowers, Downward Facing Dog, cat-cow, Chaturanga to Downward Facing Dog (5 times), baby cobras (3 times), child's pose, Virabhadrasana I to II (3 times), Virabhadrasana II to straight-legged variation (3 times), forward fold, Chaturanga, Chaturanga Dandasana, Upward Facing Dog, Balasana.
Reflection: It's amazing how a few minutes of "me-time" can help me center and feel refreshed. I had been stressed all morning and practically ran to class to get there on time. Then I realized I wasn't late, and that I had even more time because class would be starting late. It changed my perspective and I realized that stressing about a few minutes lost here and there didn't mean my entire day was shot. I really appreciated having time to go through some poses and literally catch my breath.

Self-Practice Journal, Week 12

For one of my RYT classes this semester, I'm required to keep a weekly self-practice journal. This is for yoga practices I do on my own, not guided in a studio, gym, or via video. Each week I'll have a post that details at least three of my self-practices.

Week 12
Practice 1
April 3, 8-9p
Intention: Vishudda practice
Content: Seated warm up- gather the breath in easy pose, drop and lift chin slightly, ear to shoulder, shoulder rolls, lateral stretches, seated hip circles, dandasana with roll ups, cat-cow with variations (side-to-side, through child's pose), downward facing dog, forward fold.
Surya Namaskar 3x
Warrior I, cactus arms, tuck chin and bow over lunging leg 5x
Salutation
Warrior I other side, cactus arms, tuck chin and bow over lunging leg 5x
Chair, forward fold, plank to salabhasana (start with legs, then do arms, then full expression)
Child's pose
Ustrasana
Child's pose
Hare pose
Hero's pose on block with forward folds
Child's pose to belly
Prone arm stretch, half-knot
Child's pose to transition to seated
Dandasana, Seated forward fold
Janu Shirshasana
Matsyasana
Legs-up-the-wall (hips on block)
Supine pigeon, spinal twists
Savasana
Reflection: I'm working on being creative and thoughtful with my practices, and not having a physical concern or goal in mind when practicing. This practice gave me the opportunity to experiment with Jalandhara, which is something I haven't done on my own before. It's wonderful to have a fuller experience with yoga that goes beyond just the asana.

Practice 2
April 5, 10-11a
Intention: Apana practice
Content: cat-cow with variations, downward facing dog, Surya Namaskar
Pyramid with bows, 3x
Warrior I with bows, 3x
Forward fold with twist
switch sides
Wide-legged forward fold, with twist
Lunge over left, Warrior III
Wide-legged forward fold, with twist
Lunge over right, Warrior III
Supine pigeon and twist
Sage twist with fold over front leg
Legs-up-the-wall with block
Savasana
Reflection: My body appreciated the forward folds in this practice because I made the mistake of indulging in too much dairy earlier in the week. It helped get things moving!

Practice 3
April 6, 7-7:30p
Intention: Just move my body
Content: Seated warm ups- neck circles, ear to shoulder, wrist rolls, foot massage, dandasana with roll ups, cat-cow, downward facing dog, Surya Namaskar (5x)
Baddha Konasana, janu shirshasana, seated wide-legged-forward fold, virasana on a block, child's pose, supine spinal twists
Savasana

Reflection: It was nice to move at my own regular pace tonight instead of disciplining myself to go slower than I naturally tend to in my practice. Sometimes it's nice to go with my old flow!

Self-Practice Journal, Week 11

For one of my RYT classes this semester, I'm required to keep a weekly self-practice journal. This is for yoga practices I do on my own, not guided in a studio, gym, or via video. Each week I'll have a post that details at least three of my self-practices.

Week 11
Practice 1
Date: March 24, 8-8:30p
Intention: Practice and get comfortable to teach kids yoga tomorrow
Content: Seated breath discussion. Explain that we want to fill the belly and the lungs like balloons in our bodies. Standing warm up: lift the arms with the breath and make a hot air balloon overhead, sunflower lunges, crescent moon lateral stretch, "fireworks" stretch (squat into a ball and then expand arms and legs like a jumping jack).
Child's pose, cat-cow, downward facing dog
Squat, bound angle
Cobra, cat, forward fold with roll ups
Cat, bridge, cat with tiger's tail
Half-monkey
Partner pose: seesaw
Child's pose
Savasana with hands on belly to feel the breath
Reflection: Repeating the poses for 5-10 breaths will probably work well for this group. They're older than kindergartners (who I did a similar practice with in Februrary) so I'm not oging to give them free time at the end to request a pose. I think the partner pose will be a lot of fun for them, and give them a chance to talk to someone about how it feels. They'll have to tell their partner if the stretch doesn't feel good, and they'll have to ask their partner how it feels for them as well. I hope to encourage the kids to develop awareness of their bodies. I also want to teach them yoga can be simple and fun until the day comes they're ready to learn more. I hope this will be a good 30-minute session for them.

Practice 2
Date: March 28, 8-8:50p
Intention: Practice for teaching Chad's SLCC class, Vishuddha-inspired
Content: Seated centering and warm up- raise the arms with the breath, tilting chin up and down if comfortable. Ear to shoulder, shoulder rolls, seated hip circles (folding the torso over the legs), dandasana with knees bent and rolling folds, cat-cow with variations, downward facing dog (pedaling the feet).
Surya Namaskar A 3 times (progressive)
Warrior I, cactus arms, bow over front leg (repeat 3 times)
Salutation
Warrior I, cactus arms, bow over front leg (repeat 3 times)
switch sides 3-5 times depending on pace of class, tucking chin to create awareness of throat lock
Salabhasana 3-5 breaths (progressive: lifting arms only first, then legs only first, then putting the two together)
Child's pose
Ardha Ustrasana
Hare pose
Virasana with block, and forward folds/roll ups over the quads
Child's pose
Roll to back for Matsyasana
Supine Garudasana
Invite class to take any stretch they need
Savasana
Reflection: I've never felt this nervous to teach a class before. Usually I'm a little jittery, but after a run-through of the lesson plan I feel fine. I can't shake the butterflies on this one. Even after going through everything I'm second-guessing myself and worrying that I have either not enough or too much planned. It may be because I've never done a sequence inspired by a chakra. It's not a strength of mine. I worry it may not come across as sincere or knowledgeable. Or that I'm out of my league trying to give suggestions for something that some people take very seriously. Chad's class is only 50 minutes and I wonder if I'd feel better if I had time to not only lead a practice, but to explain myself more before and after. Hopefully everything goes well tomorrow.

Practice 3
Date: March 30, 8-8:30p
Intention: Santosa
Content: Seated warm up- gather the breath, lateral bends, hip circles, foot massage. Cat-cow with child's pose and pull-through variations. Downward facing dog pedaling the feet and dropping the hips side-to-side. Forward fold and half-salutes (repeat 3 times).
Surya Namaskar B (3 times progressively)
Low crescent lunge over left, revolved crescent lunge, warrior I, reverse warrior
Salutation
Low crescent lunge over right, revolved crescent lunge, warrior I, reverse warrior
Forward fold, downward dog, hands-and-knees
Sage twist
Hare pose
Prone shoulder stretches
Supine rolls, twists, happy baby, pigeon
Legs-up-the-wall
Savasana
Reflection: Due to some financial goals, I'm in the midst of a "spending fast." It's hard to limit myself to only purchasing essentials (groceries, paying bills, gas, etc...) when I'm used to the occasional treat. The day after I set my two-week goal to freeze spending, it seemed like huge sales popped up all around me. I laughed about the irony, but still couldn't shake the subtle desire to break my fast and just get that $10 eyeliner. But I'm committed, and doing a practice to focus on being content with what I have is helpful to get me through the second half of this fast. I have so much to make my life easeful and enriching, and don't need to waste my resources on non-essentials.

Self-Practice Journal, Week 10

For one of my RYT classes this semester, I'm required to keep a weekly self-practice journal. This is for yoga practices I do on my own, not guided in a studio, gym, or via video. Each week I'll have a post that details at least three of my self-practices.

Week 10
Practice 1
March 18, 10-11a
Intention: Relieve discomfort in the shoulders
Content: Seated warm up- neck rolls, shoulder rolls, spinal twists, lateral bends, wrist rolls, dandasana with knees bent, arching with cat back. Cat-cow and variations (side-to-side, sweeping through child's pose), child's pose, kneeling plank to downward facing dog.
Forward fold with twists
Half-salutes (4x)
Chair, bow and arrow arms (4x per side)
Sun Salutation A (4x)
Low lunge over left, Warrior II, downward facing dog, supported side plank left
Child's pose, plank, downward facing dog, forward fold
(repeat on the other side, then repeat progressively on each side again)
Crow pose
Camel pose (with hands on low back)
Child's pose, prone arm stretch, half-knot to knot, supine rolls, twists, eagle pose, pigeon/figure four
Savasana
Reflection: My upper body has been sore from getting back into my usual routine of physically demanding practices (after being sick), so I needed to do some poses to work and stretch that area. While it may be difficult to move through the sore muscles, it's always worth it afterward.

Practice 2
March 20, 7-8p
Intention: Ease low back pain (menstruation is coming on!)
Content: Seated warm up- neck rolls and rotations, wrist rolls, spinal twists, legs-crossed forward folds. Cat-cow with variations, downward facing dog.
Lunge over left, then revolve
Downward facing dog
Warrior II left, Triangle, Warrior II, Bound side angle
Downward facing dog
(repeat other side)
Camel (hands on low back), Thunderbolt/Hero's pose (with block under "sits" bones), child's pose with slow roll ups linked with breath
Pigeon (followed by King Pigeon and attempt at Mermaid)
Supine rolls, twists, happy baby, bound angle and leg extensions with block under hips/sacrum
Savasana
Reflection: Back bends, even gentle ones, don't usually feel good for me. I think I need to lift up more before allowing for the bend. The discomfort might be stemming from compression of the lower back. The transition out and the counter pose always feel great to me, though. I'm enjoy "legs-up-the-wall" without a wall this week, with a block under my hips for elevation. Feels good for the back!

Practice 3
March 21, 11-11:45a
Intention: Do Warrior III, a pose I never incorporate in my personal practice
Content: Sun Salutations for warm up (deliberate and with knees bent, 4x)
Warrior I, Warrior II, Reverse Warrior, Warrior II, Lunge, Warrior III
Sun Salutation
Warrior I, Warrior II, Reverse Warrior, Warrior II, Lunge, Warrior III
Sun Salutation
Navasana (knees bent)
Dandasana
Navasana (legs extended)
Dandasana
Baddha Konasana
Janu Shirshasana (both sides)
Wide-Legged Forward fold
Child's pose, supine spinal twists, happy baby, leg extensions with block under hips/sacrum
Savasana
Reflection: I usually stay away from Warrior III because I've always felt my hips won't stay even, and that I can't do the pose with my arms extended without compromising form. I allowed  myself to explore the pose with hands at heart-center or on my hips. That allowed me to focus on the leg lift/extension and on keeping my hips parallel to the floor. I can let go of perfection and still do a good job!

Living a Yoga Life: Cultivate Opposite Virtues

When you start the day, what are you facing? Do you consider the feelings you have as you get yourself, and possibly your kids, ready to leave the house? Do you dread preparing meals that picky family members might refuse to eat? Do you stand in front of the closet and hate what your choices are? Do you anticipate a stressful commute? A meeting with colleagues that you're nervous about? Are you looking ahead to a task or chore that makes you feel miserable? Are you worried about that person you'll run into at a playgroup or in the break room at work?

Then there are the unexpected things you might not have on your radar: an accident that harms someone you love, feeling jealous over some one's accomplishments that they share with you, or being caught off guard by someone asking you to do something you're not prepared for.

So many emotions are experienced throughout the day. Some of our responses are automatic, and some are habitual. For example, let's say you accidentally touch the hot stove while preparing dinner. Your body automatically draws your hand away before you even have a chance to think. On the flip side, maybe you habitually roll your eyes and sigh audibly when your kids bicker for the billionth time in one day.

To cultivate opposite virtues means to consider all the experiences you may have in a day, and prepare to feel the opposite of what may come naturally. Maybe you need to make a tangible list of the things on your schedule. Write down the response you usually have to all the tasks, and thoughtfully decide to feel the opposite.

Wake up early: feel irritated you didn't get to sleep in.
-Opposite virtue: be respectful of who you're getting up early for (your children, your boss, your self).

Big meeting at work: feel anxious about how it could go.
-Opposite virtue: feel calm because you made it this far, and feel brave as you continue to show what you're capable of.

A friend announces news that she accomplished something she's worked hard for: feel jealous it didn't/hasn't yet happened for you.
-Opposite virtue: feel acceptance that someone else's accomplishments do not diminish your own. Be content with your own life.

You're in bed at night, unable to sleep: feel anxious about how many hours until the alarm sounds and you have to get up.
-Opposite virtue: feel gratitude that you're physically resting at the end of the day, and feel peace that eventually you will sleep.

Do those examples help illustrate what I mean by cultivate opposite virtues? It's about retraining the mind. Instead of just reacting blindly to experiences, we thoughtfully respond. And not just respond, but anticipate our response.

Try it at the beginning of the day. Try it while in bed, snoozing the alarm. Try it while in the shower. Try it while seated at your desk with your to-do list sitting in front of you. Try it in the car on the drive to work.

Eventually, you can train yourself to thoughtfully respond to stimuli instead of instinctively or habitually reacting to it.

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Self-Practice Journal, Week 9

For one of my RYT classes this semester, I'm required to keep a weekly self-practice journal. This is for yoga practices I do on my own, not guided in a studio, gym, or via video. Each week I'll have a post that details at least three of my self-practices.

Week 9
Practice 1
Date: March 11, 2-3p
Intention: Practice for leading a group of runners next week. Aim to challenge them physically, but to also help them slow down.
Content: Standing warm up- Half sun salutes (5x, progressively opening the front of the shoulders), chair with leg raises to roll the ankles, chair with bow and arrow, sunflower side-to-side lunges (6x each)
Moon Salutation (Chandra Namaskar)
Goddess Pose
Star Pose
Warrior II
Side Angle
Pyramid
Low lunge
Wide-Legged Forward Fold
Squat
Wide-Legged Forward Fold
Low lunge
Pyramid
Side Angle
Warrior II
Star Pose
Goddess Pose
(Repeat 3 times with progression)
Static side lunges
Half-Monkey stretch, lizard, sage twist, prone T-arm stretch, prone half-knot arm stretch, supine spinal rolls, pelvic tilts (with invitation to try bridge), happy baby, knee rolls over the chest, supine pigeon
Savasana
Reflection: This practice feels like it can help a group of athletes slow down and check in with their bodies. I want to show a few variations for the lunges so they can be aware of their knees and hips and still feel successful even if they're feeling tight in those areas. Holding the poses for more breaths will be challenging on different levels, and will give them a chance to find the best version of the pose for them. I think there are a number of poses that will help open their hips and shoulders to counteract the posture they may assume when running. And hopefully the stretches will speak to their hamstrings and calves in a positive way. I'll be teaching this the day after the full moon, so I think it's fun to do Chandra Namaskar and go with that theme.

Practice 2
Date: March 13, 1-2p
Intention: Practice for teaching at LocalYOGA, and create a sequence for all-levels.
Content: Standing warm up- Half sun salutes, chair with leg lifts for ankle rolls, forward fold, chair with bow and arrow, forward fold with supported twist (hand on block), sunflower with lunges.
Moon Salutation
Tadasana
Standing baby back bend
Forward fold
Low lunge left
Revolved lunge
Downward Dog
Plank
Chaturanga
Baby Cobra
Plank
Downward Dog
Low lunge right
Revolved lunge
Forward fold
Standing baby backbend
Tadasana
(Repeat 4x, progressively)
Gomukhasana
Half-Lord-of-the-Fishes
Thread the needle, prone T-arm stretch, child's pose, supine rolls, legs-up-the-wall, happy baby, supine spinal twists
Savasana
Reflection: Using the blocks, I think this will be a very accessible practice. The pace will be slow since that's still something I'm focusing on lately.

Practice 3
Date: March 16 7-7:15p
Intention: Practice truthfulness/satya (I'm only practicing after a long day because I need one more for this log!)
Content: Seated warm up- neck rolls, gentle seated twists, seated forward fold with knees bent, wrist rolls, ankle rolls, cat-cow with leg extensions to stretch calves, cat-cow with lateral bends, child's pose to kneeling plank (repeat 4x), downward facing dog (pedaling the feet).
Supported side plank left, gate pose
Downward facing dog
Supported side plank right, gate pose
Downward facing dog
Plank
Child's pose, kneeling to stretch wrists (palms and backs of hands to mat, alternately), shoulder rolls, supine rolls, supine spinal twists
Savasana
Reflection: I didn't want to practice, but I'm glad I did it anyway. I felt less grumpy and a little more energized so I could spend time with my husband after he put the kids to bed. WORTH IT!

Self-Practice Journal, Week 8

For one of my RYT classes this semester, I'm required to keep a weekly self-practice journal. This is for yoga practices I do on my own, not guided in a studio, gym, or via video. Each week I'll have a post that details at least three of my self-practices.

Week8
Practice 1
Date: March 6, 9-10p
Intention: Non-stealing
Content: Half-salutes 4x, standing lateral bends, star to goddess 8x, goddess with lateral bend, wide leg forward fold, folded lateral stretch.
Lunge left
Downdog
Lunge right
Downdog, plank, cobra, child's pose
Supported side plank, L & R
Downdog, plank, cobra, child's pose
Lunge left
Lunge right
Wide leg forward fold, wide leg downward dog
Repeat 3x
Child's pose, thread the needle, prone shoulder opener, fish pose with blanket under the spine for support, spinal twists, happy baby.
Savasana
Reflection: I'm trying to focus on not going too quickly. I want to give each pose an appropriate amount of breath. I'm getting better at mentally counting to remind myself to keep inhales and exhales even.

Practice 2
Date: March 8, 9-9:30p
Intention: Non-stealing
Content: Child's pose to cat-cow (repeat 5x), chair to forward fold (repeat 5x)
Chair, lunge left and fold over left (lunging leg) 5x
Revolved lunge
Downdog
Chair, lunge right and fold over right leg (lunging leg) 5x
Revolved lunge
Downdog, three-legged dog, three-legged plank (2x), three-legged plank crossing opposite knee to elbow (2x)
Child's pose, thread the needle, pigeon, legs-up-the-wall, knees-wide supine twists, bound angle pose.
Savasana
Reflection: Moving at a slower is getting a little easier as I've focused on it the past few weeks. I don't always have to consciously count in my head to ensure my breathing is slow and steady. Hopefully this will lead to different experiences when I'm in a pose longer than I'm used to.

Practice 3
Date: March 9, 4-4:20p
Intention: Non-stealing
Content: Standing lateral bends, half-salutes 9 (5x)
Surya Namaskar A (5x)
Surya Namaskar B (5x)
Child's pose, thread the needle, Half-lord of the fishes pose, legs-up-the-wall pose, happy baby, wide-leg supine spinal twists.
Savasana
Reflection: Today I needed to focus on the counts of my breath to ensure I didn't rush. With a familiar sequence like Salutations, it can be easy for me to fall back into old habits. But I didn't want to take away from the benefits of the poses by rushing through them.

Living a Yoga Life - Letting Go

A few weeks ago I had a very powerful experience with a meditation practice from Erich Schiffmann's book, Yoga: The Spirit and Practice of Moving into Stillness (affiliate). And not only was it very emotional for me in the moment, but I ended up crying in one of my teacher training classes as I related the experience to everyone else.

The exercise is to count the breath. Starting at 50, and working toward zero, each breath corresponds to a count. The even numbers are on the exhale, with the odd numbers on the inhale. Once twenty is reached, only the exhales are counted. Once zero is reached, the natural flow of the breath resumes, and the counting ceases.

When I started this meditation, it immediately reminded me of when my second-born was colicky. He always screamed from about 5pm until 10pm or later, every night. If he wasn't nursing, or being held, he was screaming. Sometimes even being held wasn't enough, and he would only be soothed if I bounced on the edge of the bed, or on an exercise ball, while holding him. My husband worked incredibly long hours during our son's colicky stage, and was often gone well into the night. Even when he was home, our son would scream for up to an hour if dad tried to soothe him to sleep instead of me. So I bounced our son endlessly. And while I bounced, I counted. Each bounce was a number, and I'd force myself to close my eyes and count until at least 100 before I'd allow myself to peek and see if my baby was finally asleep. Some nights I'd count to 100 dozens of times.

This meditation exercise brought me back to the year+ I spent bouncing and counting with my son. Back to when I only slept for 4 hours, sitting up, in every 24-hour period. Back to when the screaming never seemed to stop. Back to when I felt I was neglecting my first-born just so I could keep the baby from crying until he was blue in the face. Back to when I was constantly anxious and depressed and wished I no longer existed.

this is helpings

 But, as I breathed and counted per Schiffmann's instructions, I tried to let go of all that. By the time I counted down to eight, I started crying. I felt a release. A weight lifted from my chest. My son is 2.5 years old now and sleeps through the night. He no longer screams if someone other than me holds him. I'm no longer afraid to leave the house, or leave him in the care of someone else. I survived.

And hopefully this means rhythmic counting will no longer hold the negative association it once did. Hopefully I've put some of that trauma behind me.